Fixture for adjusting connecting rods



Dec. 6, 1927. 1,651,546 3 W. REYNOLDS FIXTURE FOR ADJUSTING CONNECTINGRODS iled May 27. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec.6,1927. 1,651,546

W. F. REYNOLDS FIXTURE FOR ADJUSTING QONNECTING RODS Filed May 27. 1925'2 Sheets-Sheet 2 t ure 'in cln'ding Vertically disposed fiat testfurther objectiof the invention is to Pasta v a 1,651,546 rs o STATESBATE-N T1 OFFICE..

i Darren, orato ]:v i 7 i i i b r rIx'rURnnonienirnsrrneloonnnorlne'none.

7 Application: filed May 27, 1925 Serial No. 733,316;

. My invention relatesto gaging:- and bendis applied to bend or' kinkthe connecting ing fixtures for correcting and adjusting the rod'to'return the piston head to proper perangular relation'of the pistonheadrelative pendicnlar relation with the axisv of, the tothe airis'ofthe crank shaftbearing of a cranl; shaft bearing of the connectingrod.piston connecting rod.' 'A difliculty frel i h-ile screw pressure maybensedfor ole-- qne'ntly encountered 'by automobile repairfleeting orbending the connectingfrod, the men is that of unalineinent of theconnectlimited throw camor eccentric is. employed ing'rod bearingsduet-o the connecting rod to confine the bending operation to smallbeing bent laterally or to the fact that the degree, thus givingtheoperator more posim crank shaft hearinghas been scraped in tivecontrol. Inorder to accommodate pisout of itrue relation with-the linealextent ton-sand connectingfrods of difierent sizes, of. the ,eenneenng'rod,-or error in replaceprovisionis made for spacing the abutment mentof the wrist pins. Such irregularity screws oristnds different distancesapart and V in the scrapedin crankshaft hearing or for locating thetrunnion stud or plug in is improperly alined wrist pin, inducesaniniclifferentlyspaced relation therewith;

- clinedpositionof the pistonhead, out [of a The object of thepresentinvention is'to true perpendicular relation to I the axis of provide acorrective appliance by whichdisthe crankshaft Such lack of proper aligntorted or bent-connecting rods'may be readment results in undue frictionand wearand ily and quickly-restored to properialignment 20 unlesscorrected will result in 'permanentinby the ordinary automobilemechanic,withjury'to' tlie;cylinder"walls; the piston head outt he necessity ofelaborate and expensive and-crank shaftbearing.f equipmentand withoutthe necessityv of re 7 (In the present'inventl'on there is entm lJO mg'OI -Iebabbitting the bearings of the plated a, combinedgagijng andbending fix connecting rod.

platepinproximity to which is a longitudi provide a simpleconvenient,andcompara- "1 311 1 qjm bl' tud 'or plug projecting in tively cheap meansfor testing the relation accuratelyperpendicular relationav'ith the fthe-piston head with the aXis of the plane of the surface plateor'te'stplate-and crankshaft bearing to de t-ermine the degree 30 upon whichthecrank sh'aftbearing of th of deviation which mayhaveresulted fromconnectingrod is to be journ'alled withlthe an p p y nl ced Wrist pin,or from piston head extending in proximate relafi ifi g" prov ded acrank "shaft bearing {io with th urface plate. If the axis of whiohisslightly askew relative to the pisthe crankshaftbearing" and that of thepiston heath and foradjusting the piston head 9 3.3 ton :head are inproper perpendicnlar;rela- I O proper perpendicular relation with thetion' to each other, the pistonhead and su'rs of such crank shaftbearing. face plate will exactly align with each other. A further objectof the invention is to However any'slight devlationof the axis ofvPTOVifle a S mple, cheapv and E o o al d6 the crank shaft bearing fromafproper pervice for straightening or adjusting c'onnect- -10 pendicularrelation with the piston head Q and r k 6 Q C i l will be amplified [andexaggerateiand such IIOJB y be Chefipened in constructioilhbut e l itwill b t nc pp t f will be more eflicient inuse, permit-ting quick theangular or inclined relation of the piston Operation and e y to l u Ofrepair.

I head with thepl anehof the surfac'eplate. 1 f d l t i theinventioll'ls' t To Correct Such irrewihritig) there s provide means bywh ch'the connecting rod vided in radial relation with the. mounting g:y bemrrectlv aligned w f studior plug, a pair of abutment screws or yelne accuracy, and by mini-mum effort studs i ntol alignment with whichthe conp n partof the operator. y neoting rod*is; turned about itsmounting VViththe'above primary and otherinci- 50 upon the testistud orplu'g. A pressi re dental objects in View as will' more fully plungerengages theconnecting'rod in o "appear in the specification, theinvention position to such abutment screws or studs. cons'istsofthefe'atures of co'nstructi0n,the

at a point substantially mid-way therebepartsand combinations thereof.and the wee andisoperated bylsuitableactuating mode of operation ortheir equivalentsjas I '5 meansgpreferably acam orieccentric having ahereinafter describedvand set'forthiin the a limitedthrom'bywhich'sufiiclentpressure "claims; 7

or trunnion stud is inscrlable.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred.but obvious- 1y, not necessarily the only form of embodiment of theinvention. Fig. 1. is a perspective view of the piston testing andadjusting fixture forn'iing the subject matter here of. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation thereof, showing a piston positioned thereon, for testing therelation of the piston head. with the axis ofthe crank shaft bearing.Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the testing and adjusting fixture showing;the piston. turned to recumbentposition, and engaged for straighteningor bending in order to bring; the piston head into perpendicularrelation with the axis of the crank shaft bearing. Fig. l is a detailplan viewshowing the use of an involute coin for actuating the pressureplunger in lieu of the eccentric illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is asimilar VlQW illustrating: the employment of screw pressure in lieu ofcam pressure. 5 j

Likeparts are indicated by similar charactors of reference throughoutthe several views.

i In constructing the testing. and adjusting fixture forming the suhjectn'iattcr hereof. there. is cn'iployed a base or bed plate 1. havinnarising! therefrom an abutment head 2. Secured adjacent to one end ofthe abutinent head and projecting verticallytherefrom is a surface platei afli'ordina' a test surface. which reduced'by machining and preferablyby scraping to a perfectly plain surface 3, to serve as a gauge surfacefor testing the alignincnt of the piston head. Projecting loosclvthrough the abutment head 2 in spaced relation below the surface testplate 3. is a rcci firocatory plug or trunnion stud all. which extendsaccurately in perpendicular relation to the plane of the test surface 3.In the testing operation. the

plug or trunnion studd is euiployed in lieu to. connecting rods ofdifferent length. two

or more hole are provided in the abutrnent head in either. of which thevlua' Projectin through the abutment head 2 in positions aligned withthe stud orplug lis a plurality mof adjustable screw studs 6. againstwhich the connecting; rod is abutted when subjected to bending pressure.The abutment studs ti al position.

6 of which three are shown, are spaced. from each other, and from theplug or trunnion stud d. .Mouutcd in a. suitable head 7 upon the base 1is a reciprocatory plunger 8, adapted to engage the connecting rod onthe side opposite the engagement of the abutment studs 6 and in aposition substantially mid-way therebetween. The plunger 8 is preferablyspring retracted and is actuated toward the aliuitinent head 2 andagainst the Connecting rod interposed between such plunger and the studs6, by the oscillation of the cam 9, pivoted in the head The cam actuator9 is preferably an eccentric having avery limited throw. That is to say,the eccentric is pivoted but slightly off center; This eccentric head 9bears against the rearend of the plunger 8 and is oscillated by the handlever lO to project the plunger against the connecting rod. The purposein inaldinz the eccentricof limited throw is to positively limit thebending strain to which the connecting rod may bu subjected.successively throughout a small degree of deflection, the ncces. A muchmore accuratcl effected, than if the connecting rod subjected to aradical doflcction at a sin 'le oueration. which ma bend the conuectlurod bcvond the re( uircd n r h point. If alter the nitial bendingoperation it is found that the connecting rod is By bending theconnecting rod rradjustuient may be ill] not sullicicntly straightenedor deflected. the

abutment screws 6 may be adjusted in the head 2. and the operationrepeated. For ordinary conditions. the abutment screw studs 6 spacedequally on opposite sides of the plunger 8 are c1nploved.-However, forunusual conditions or extremely long connccting rods. it may benecessary to retractone of the rcrew studs (l andolnploy in lieuthcreofa similar stud 11, located a greater distance from the point ofapplimition of the bending pressure. Likewise one of the lillltlllllnflscrew studs 6 may be removed from its normal or usuallocation andrelocated inthc hole 5, by means ofan adapter I bushing. Thus thedistance between the aluitrncnt studs may be increased or diminished tovary the extent of application oflhc bending strain.

In lieu of the eccentric hcadl) for operating the ilunacr 8. which head:uitomatically es :1 dead cen rclieres the pressure as it p: forposition. there maybe employed an inrolutc CHIN head as shown at 19. inFig. 4. By use of the iurolute cam .hcu d the pressure upon thereclprocatory plui er 8 is progressirel increased in pro 'u'irtion to.the degree of oscillation of the opcrating lever '10. In eitherconstruction the spring 13 serves to retract the plunger astheoscillatory actuating head is returned to itsini- In Fig. 5 there isshown a pressure screw 14, substitutedfor the oscilill is of. the samediameter as the crank shaft pertaining to the particular bearing, and sofits the bearing. Otherwise the crank shaft bearing of the connectingrod 15 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 will be centered upon thepiug or trunnionstud 4 by use of an adapter bushing of suitable size. The connecting rodthus mounted upon the stud is turned upward into proximate relationwith. the surface plate 3. If the crank shaft bearing .is'in properaxial relation with the piston head 16, the side of the piston head willassume an exactlyparallel relation with the test surface 3'. If,however, the piston head and axis of the crank-shaft hearing are not inproper perpendicular relation with. each other, this will be indicatedby an angular diversion as at 17, between the test surface 3 and theside of the pistonhead l5. The

operator determining in which direction the connecting rod must be bentin order to bring the piston head 16 and the, test surface piston andconnecting rod downwardly about their pivotal connection upon the plugor trunnion stud 4 to the recumbent position shown in, Fig. 3. This isthe correction position. That is to say, the piston operated upon isturned to different radial positions about the plug or trunnion stud 4:,

one of which is the test position in which the side of thepiston 16 iscompared with the testsurface 3', and inthe other of which radialposit-ion the connecting rod is subjected to bending pressure to insureparallel relation of the piston head with the test surface when returnedthereto by reverse movement. In the recumbent'bending position theconnecting rod is engaged on one side by the screw studs 6, which serveas spaced abutments. on the opposite side the connecting rod 15 isengaged at a point substantially mid-way between the studs 6 by thereciprocatory plunger 8. Upon oscillation of the lever 10 and actuatinghead 9, the plunger 8 is projected against the connecting rod withsufficient pressure to bend it slightly. To preventstraining or marringthe end of the connecting rod, the plug or trunnion stud 4 is preferablywithdrawn from the connecting rod during the bending operation. When theconnecting rod has been bent by the actuation of the pressure plunger 8,the plug or stud 4 is restored to its engagement in the crank shaftbearing of the connecting rod and the piston is again i returned to itsupright position as shown in. Fig. 3 for comparison with the testsurface 3. If the side of the piston head is found to extend in exactparallel relation "with the test surface, the necessary adjustment iscompleted. However, if it is found that there still remains someangularity or divergence of the piston head andtest surface, the pistonis again returned to its recumbent bending position, shown in Fig. 3,for further correction.

The studs 6 are adjusted to compensate for the previous deflection andpressure is again applied until the piston head is brought into therequired parallel relation with the head surface 3. If an extremely longconnecting rod is-to be operated upon, the trunnion stud or plug l istransferred to the outermost hole 5 in the abutment head 2-. and one ofthe screw studs 6 is transferred to the inner hole 5 in which it isengaged by use of a suitable bushing. The other screw stud 6 may bewithdrawn and the stud ll employed in lieu thereof, thus subjecting theconnecting rod to a longer ra-nge'of bending pressure. Obviously, in theuse of the involute cam or the pressure screw shown Iin Figs. 4 and 5,the operation and various steps of'the method of correcting theconnecting rod are the same as those heretofore described.

From the above description it will be ap-' parent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but'whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinci ale involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

\Vhile inorder to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features.it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificdetails shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprises the preferred form of several modes of putting the inventioninto effect and the in ention is. th'ere fore. claimed in any of itsforms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention. I

' claim:

of the mounting stud for con' parison with theside of the head of: thepiston being adjusted, a reeiprocatory plunger located intermediate thescrew studs, and in opposing relation thereto, a mounting "for saidplunger upon said base plate, and a coin actuator for said plunger bywhich the plunger is thrust against a piston rod restingagain et thescrew studs to subject the rod to bending strain, the degree of bendbeingdetermined by adjustment of the screw studs and ascertained bycomparison of the piston head with the test plate while the piston rodis engaged upon said mounting stud 2. In an adjusting fixture forpistons. amain support adapted to receive a piston rod with the pistonhead attached thereto, a pair of spaced screw threaded studs carriedthereh a pressure lnen'iber located in opposing relation suhfctantiallmidway be tween said screw threaded studs, means for giving to thepressure member a limited degree of movement to subject on piston rodrestingupon the screw studs :1 limited bending strain, the strain towhich the piston rod is subjected being regulated by the adjustmentofthe screw studs, and. gage means with which to compare the side of thepie-- ton head to ascertain. the required 'legree of deflection oi therod. F

i 3 In an adjusting fixture for piston rode, a test plate having a planesurface, a 1nountiug stud extending in perpendicular relation with theplane surface of said plate, and adapted to receive the crank shalthearing of a pistonrod, with said rod overhanging the test "plate, and aplurality of spaced adjustable abutment i'neinbers disposed in radialrelationwith the mounting stud, into alignment with which the piston rodis ad justable by oscillatory movement about the mounting stud, and apressure lneinher having a predetermined degree of movement engaging thepiston rod at a point inter1nediate the spaced alnit-n'ients to subjectthe piston rod to bending straiiu the degree of hend being determined byhe adjustment of the spaced abutment members,

=l-. In an adjusting ne rer-0r pistons, a mounting stud for engagementwith the crank shaft bearing, of a piston rod, a surface plate withwhich to coinpare the alinenient of the piston head and "a, bendingmechanism arranged and shaped to ateoiii- HIOCllllLQ a piston rod andattached piston head arranged in different radialpositions relative tothe mounting stud about which a piston rod is capable of swingingmovement from orerhanging relation of the piston headwith thetestplateinto position to be operatirely engaged hy the bendingmechanism and vice versa.

5. Innn adjusting fixture for pistons, the combination with a surfacetest plate with which to compare the alinenient of the piston head andamounting stud to engage the crankshaftbearing ofthe piston rod andprojecting in perpendicular relation with the surface of the test plate,of a bending mechanism contiguous to said test plate capable ofreceiving the piston rod with the piston head attached thereto andsubjecting the piston rod to bendii'ig strain, the degree oi which isdetermined comparison of the piston head withthe test surface.

(i. In an adjusting fixture for pistons, a

surface test plate with which to compare i the alineu'ient of the headof'the piston, a

rod bending Inechanisin shaped and dis posed to receive a piston rodwith an attached piston head and amounting stud ifor engagement with thecrank shaft bearing of the pistonrod located in a position coninion toboth the test surface and the bending mechanism and about wh ch thepiston rod is swii'igingly adjustable to present the piston head inoperativerelation with the test surface and the rod in operativerelation with the bending mechanism.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 20 day of May. A.D. 1925. ILLIAH F. REYNOLDS.

